The Matchmaker - The Arrax Saga Book 1 Chapter 47

The weight of exhaustion still clung to Saphira’s body, but after hours of rest and a proper meal, she finally felt like she could breathe again.

Nikolas sat beside her, his eyes softer than they had been earlier, the sharp tension in his posture eased just slightly.

The hospital had been quiet when they’d left, Zafira still resting, Asher’s mother stable. The uncertainty was still there, pressing in at the edges, but for now, they had time.

Nikolas exhaled deeply, then shifted, turning toward her with quiet intent. “Come for a walk with me?”

Saphira blinked, caught off guard, then studied him closer. His tone was calm, but there was something else beneath it, something weighted.

She hesitated only for a second before nodding. “Yeah. I think I need to move after being still for so long.”

A small smirk tugged at Nikolas’ lips, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. He stood, then extended his hand toward her, offering it for her to take.

She took it.

His fingers curled around hers briefly, warmth passing between them before he pulled her to her feet.

When she was up, he didn’t let go right away. Instead, his thumb brushed lightly against her knuckles, almost absentmindedly, as though he was reassuring himself as much as her.

Then with a deep breath, he led her outside.

The evening air wrapped around them, cool against her skin, carrying the lingering scent of damp earth and pine. The sky had darkened, stars peeking through the remnants of twilight, and for the first time in days, the world felt still.

Nikolas exhaled again, his hands slipping into his pockets as they walked.

“I’ve been thinking,” he murmured after a moment.

Saphira glanced at him. “About?”

His gaze flickered toward her briefly before settling ahead. “About your dragon.”

She straightened slightly, curiosity sparking.

“I know I should’ve been helping you more before,” he admitted, his tone lined with quiet regret. “But between everything with Zafira, I lost focus.”

Saphira shook her head. “Nikolas. Like I said before, you don’t have to apologise.”

“But now? We have time.” His voice was firm, deliberate. “And we should start now.”

Saphira blinked, caught off guard. “Now?”

She looked around, realizing how far he had led them, deep into an open clearing, away from the pack, away from any prying eyes.

“Yes, now,” Nikolas said, his lips tugging into a small smile. “The first thing we need to do is get you used to transforming.”

A sharp pang of fear shot through Saphira’s chest. The first time she had shifted had been excruciating.

Back then, she had been fuelled by desperation, the crushing weight of losing Nikolas had been the only thing keeping her focused, forcing her through the pain.

But now?

Now there was no fear of losing him. She was safe, standing beside him, with nothing except the uncertainty of what came next. And that terrified her in a completely different way.

She swallowed, forcing herself to keep her voice level. “Erm… can we not do something else first?”

Nikolas didn’t hesitate.

He stepped forward, reaching for her hands, pulling her closer until she could feel the warmth radiating from him.

“This needs to be done first,” he murmured. “Once you’re comfortable shifting, your bond with your dragon will be stronger.” His thumb brushed gently over her knuckles, reassuring, firm. “I know you’re scared. But the first time is always the worst. After a while, it becomes pleasurable.”

Saphira let out a slow breath, her pulse unsteady, her mind racing. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to trust that this would be different, that the pain wouldn’t consume her like it had before.

But it was one thing to be told how it feels. It was another thing to experience it.

Nikolas’ grip tightened slightly, his warmth unwavering. He was waiting for her, waiting for her to trust him.

She inhaled deeply, nodding once. “What do I need to do?”

Nikolas’ expression shifted instantly, relief and quiet excitement flickering in his eyes as he took a step back, giving her space. “Right. First, close your eyes.”

Saphira did as he said, trying to steady her breathing, pushing past the lingering fear curling at the edges of her mind. “Now what?”

Nikolas’ voice was softer now, guiding. “Concentrate. Picture the first time you shifted.”

Saphira forced herself to reach for the memory.

“The feeling of the ground under your claws,” he continued, his voice smooth, careful. “How your vision sharpened. How your instincts took over.”

She pictured it all. The sensation of power coiling through her muscles. The rush of heightened senses.

The brief moment where, after the pain had finally subsided, she had felt free.

A faint hum of energy stirred in her chest, tingling beneath her skin.

But unlike before, fear wasn’t fuelling her now. She had nothing to lose.

And that meant for the first time she had a chance to fully embrace it.

To claim this part of herself not out of desperation, but out of strength.

A shuddering breath left her lips. She wasn’t sure if she was ready.

Nikolas watched Saphira closely, sensing the hesitation still clinging to her, wrapping around her like an invisible restraint.

She had pictured it, had felt the faint hum of energy beneath her skin, but still, she hesitated.

He stepped forward, his voice low, steady, but firm. “You can do this.”

Saphira swallowed hard, staring at him, uncertainty flickering across her face.

Nikolas reached for her hand again, gripping it just enough to ground her, enough to remind her she wasn’t alone in this.

“I know you’re scared,” he continued, his thumb brushing lightly against her knuckles. “But you’ve already done it once. You survived it. And now? Now, you control it.”

She let out a shaky breath, her pulse quickening.

Nikolas gave her hand one final squeeze before stepping back, giving her space.

“This time, you’re shifting for yourself,” he said, his eyes unwavering. “Not out of desperation. Not because you had no other choice. But because you want to. Because it’s yours.”

His words struck something deep inside her, something unspoken, something true.

Saphira closed her eyes, inhaling sharply.

She reached for the energy again, picturing the shift, the moment after the pain, the surge of power, the freedom that had come with it.

She embraced it.

Then—

The change began.

Her body trembled as the magic coiled, heat rushing beneath her skin. A sharp jolt ran through her spine, her muscles tensing, shifting, breaking and reforming in rapid succession.

But this time she felt the difference.

The pain was still there, sharp and unforgiving, but it wasn’t controlling her.

She wasn’t drowning in it. She was riding it.

And when she finally opened her eyes, she wasn’t standing in her human form anymore.

She was in her dragon’s body. Strong. Powerful. Whole.

Nikolas grinned, his golden eyes flashing with pride.

“There she is.”